Saint Sebastian

The sculpture perfectly expresses the aesthetic taste of Italy at that time, representing Saint Sebastian as an Apollo, a young man of great beauty and tasteful nudity, despite the drama involved in the scene of his martyrdom. Sources report that his sacrifice, ordered by Emperor Diocletian, took place on a tree in the Field of Mars, a place where he was shot with arrows. However, in this case we see the representation of a single arrow that pierced his left side.

Anónimo italiano

Location

Technical sheet

Title: Saint Sebastian

Author: Anonymous Italian

Date: 1680-1710

Material and technique: Chiselled and embossed silver

Dimensions: 83 x 36 x 29 cm

Location: Cathedral Treasury

Key features of the work

The figure stands on a pedestal, with a convex and very elaborate profile. The highlight here is the presence of angels in the corners and the adornment created by a garland of laurel leaves running around it